Jun. 19—A candlelight vigil was held for Jacob Minnick on Friday at Lockport High School.
The former Lockport Lion and two-time Section VI diving champion died Thursday in a swimming accident in Tonawanda Creek near Indian Falls.
“So many people attended. It was amazing to see how Jake touched so many people,” Erik Bernardi and Jason Wulf, owners of Lake Effect Ice Cream, where Minnick was an employee, wrote on their Facebook page. The downtown business was closed Friday to allow employees to deal with the loss.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up for his family to help pay for funeral expenses. It had raised almost $31,000 as of Saturday afternoon. The funding goal was $12,000.
Minnick had been attending Clarion University in Pennsylvania where he was a member of the men’s swimming & diving team.
“Jacob was a very sincere, polite, happy, caring kid,” diving coach Dave Hrovat said in a statement released by the university. “In the time I got to know him, it was easy to see that he loved training with his teammates and loved being part of the program. He had a bright future ahead of him, athletically and academically. I want to express my heartfelt condolences to all his family and loved ones, and let them know that we are there for them in this tremendously difficult time.”
Minnick recently completed his first year as a member of the Golden Eagle men’s swimming & diving program, and was a Biology / Ecology major. The full release from the university is below.
Minnick was a prolific swimmer at Lockport High School, claiming his second straight Section VI boys diving championship during his junior year.
Under head coach John Sullivan and diving coach Jasper Adams at LHS, Minnick excelled from the start as a diver in eighth grade and in just two years, he qualified for the state meet. In his junior year, he returned to states, finishing 14th overall. He was 16th in NYS this past season.
Heading into the state swim meet during his senior year, Minnick hadn’t lost a league meet in more than two years and was ranked in the top 10 in the state.
Adams described Minnick as, “one of the best divers I’ve coached in the last 30 years.”
“He was a giver, he was always smiling, kind, generous,” said John Sullivan his swim coach and social studies teacher at Lockport High School told Channel 4 News Friday. “Everybody was just captured by the energy and positivity that he brought.”
In announcing his intention to attend Clarion in 2020, Minnick was asked how he wanted to be remembered in the future. He responded, “that I was a fun person to be around and that I listened to my coaches and parents.”
Clarion University release
CLARION, Pa. — Jacob Minnick, a member of the Clarion men’s swimming & diving team, tragically passed away on Thursday, June 17. He was 18 years old. A native of Lockport, N.Y., Minnick had just completed his first year of study at Clarion and was an active member of the Golden Eagle team.
Information regarding memorial services are not available at this time.
“Jacob was a very sincere, polite, happy, caring kid,” said diving coach Dave Hrovat. “In the time I got to know him, it was easy to see that he loved training with his teammates and loved being part of the program. He had a bright future ahead of him, athletically and academically. I want to express my heartfelt condolences to all his family and loved ones, and let them know that we are there for them in this tremendously difficult time.”
“Jacob had a smiling, bright-eyed face every day walking on the pool deck,” said head swimming & diving coach Bree Kelley. “He enjoyed his teammates and Clarion and we were excited to see him progress through our program. We are surely going to miss that smiling face. We will be offering counseling services for our team if they should need it but in the meantime our team will stand together to support one another through this tough loss.”
“We are extremely saddened to learn of the passing of Jacob,” said Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Wendy Snodgrass. “He was an important and valued member of our men’s swimming and diving program, and quickly developed strong bonds with his teammates and coaches. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone who knew and loved him.”
“I extend our deepest sympathy to Jacob’s family, friends, teammates and the faculty and staff in the Clarion community who knew him,” said Clarion President Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, Ed.D. “Any loss of life is a tragedy, but the grief cuts especially deep as we mourn a young man who had accomplished so much and had so much more to give.”
Minnick recently completed his first year as a member of the Golden Eagle men’s swimming & diving program, and was a Biology / Ecology major. A freshman from Lockport High School, he did not compete during the 2020-21 season but was an integral part of the team during their training schedule. One of the top divers in the history of Lockport, he was a three-time state meet qualifier in high school, with a number of section championships to his credit. He placed 14th at the state meet as a junior and 16th as a senior.